Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. DE10 2021 006 106.3, filed on 12/11/2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/27/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings submitted on 06/11/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.81. Accordingly, the drawings are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The specification submitted on 06/11/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.71. Accordingly, the specification is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 - 3, 6, 7 and 10, it is unclear whether the limitations joined by “and/or” are required or optional.
Regarding claims 2-9, they are rejected due to claim dependency.
Regarding claim 10, it is unclear as to whether it is directed to a process or a machine. It is unclear as to where the preamble ends, and where the claim body starts. The preamble recites a process, but the claim body does not recite any processing steps.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown et al. (US 20180196139 A1, “Brown”) in view of Zavesky et al. (US 20210049904 A1, “Zavesky”)
Regarding claim 1, Brown teaches a stationary traffic monitoring system for monitoring a detection region of a traffic area and designed to communicate with vehicles driving on the traffic area, the monitoring system comprising:
a first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) for receiving and/or transmitting first vehicle-relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data (Brown, Para [0091]-[0099], Fig 6, where Para [0091] discloses the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles) via a first wireless transmission medium (Brown, Para [0047]-[0048], Fig 1A, where the present system includes a plurality of nodes structured as both communications/LIDAR TX and receiver (RX) capable of wireless communication) , the first wireless transmission medium being designed as an optical interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where the communications lidar system 122 includes optics including optics/lenses in TX and RX subsystem 124) , and
a laser scanner which is aligned with the detection region (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar and is received by receiver (RX)) and is designed to provide a laser measurement value which comprises information about a vehicle located in the detection region (Brown, Para [0093], Fig 6, where the LIDAR information includes other vehicle information which when combined with other systems include spatial information), and/or
for receiving and/or transmitting second vehicle- relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data (Brown, Para [0091]-[0099], Fig 6, where Para [0091] discloses the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles) via a second wireless transmission medium (Brown, Para [0047]-[0048], Fig 1A, where the present system includes a plurality of nodes structured as both communications/LIDAR TX and receiver (RX) capable of wireless communication), the second wireless transmission medium being designed as an optical interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where the communications lidar system 122 includes optics including optics/lenses in TX and RX subsystem 124), wherein
the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) is operated with a polarized transmitted light beam (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has vertically polarized light), and
wherein the laser scanner (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) is operated with a polarized transmitted light beam (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the LIDAR transmitter 408 has vertically polarized light), and/or
(Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has one of a combination of orthogonal polarizations), and
wherein
- the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has vertically polarized light),- is different from the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the laser scanner (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the LIDAR transmitter 408 has vertically polarized light) and/or the polarized transmitted light beam of the second data transmission interface. (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has one of a combination of orthogonal polarizations)
However, Brown does not teach a second data transmission interface
On the other hand, Zavesky teaches a second interface that can communicate with other wireless devices (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices)
Accordingly, it would have been obvious of one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the stationary traffic monitoring system of Brown in view of Zavesky, by including a second communication interface for managing traffic (Zavesky, Para [0016])
Regarding claim 2, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein
a) the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) for receiving and/or transmitting first vehicle- relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data (Brown, Para [0091]-[0099], Fig 6, where Para [0091] discloses the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles) , and
b) the second data transmission interface (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices) for receiving and/or transmitting second vehicle- relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data (Brown, Para [0091]-[0099], Fig 6, where Para [0091] discloses the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles),
c) can be operated redundantly with respect to one another (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices and is therefore redundant operated with one another).
Regarding claim 3, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein vehicle-relevant and/or traffic management- relevant information data can be transmitted on (by means of) the two data transmission interfaces (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface. Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices. Zavesky, Para [0098]-[0099] also disclosed the communication between vehicles and therefore interfaces), and/or in that vehicle-relevant and/or traffic management-relevant information data can be transmitted on (by means of) one of the two data transmission interfaces (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface), and communication-relevant monitoring data and/or communication-relevant control data can be transmitted on (by means of) the other of the two data transmission interfaces (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices. Zavesky, Para [0098]-[0099] also disclosed the communication between vehicles and therefore interfaces).
Regarding claim 4, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein one of the two data transmission interfaces can be used as a unidirectional transmission interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface), and the other of the two data transmission interfaces can be used as a unidirectional reception interface (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices, making it the reception interface).
Regarding claim 5, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein both data transmission interfaces can be used simultaneously and do not have to have different modulation patterns for the purpose of differentiation (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and therefore teaches simultaneous transmission without modulation)
Regarding claim 6, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the individual receivers of the different optical interfaces and/or optical systems are tuned and/or set to different polarization planes (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has a vertical polarized light and LIDAR transmitter 408 has a horizontal polarized light), a polarization filter preferably being located at the input of each receiver for this purpose, it being possible in this case for the individual polarization filters to be implemented both as fixed polarization filters and/or also as individual polarization analyzers (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the communications detector 406a has a vertical polarizer in front of it and LIDAR detector 406b has a horizontal polarizer in front of it), which are each set to a predefined range by default, and during reception operation align themselves precisely with the polarization plane of the incoming polarized received light signal of the corresponding communication channel and/or optical interface by means of analysis (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has a vertical polarized light and LIDAR transmitter 408 has a horizontal polarized light, and their respective detectors 406a and 406b have vertical and horizontal polarizers in front of them.
Regarding claim 7, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the difference
- between the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has a vertical polarized light),
- and the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the laser scanner, and/or the polarized transmitted light beam of the second data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the LIDAR transmitter 408 has a horizontal polarized light and is orthogonal to the communication emitter's vertical polarized light),
- relative to one another is a relative angle of approx. 90 degrees (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has a vertical polarized light and LIDAR transmitter 408 has a horizontal polarized light and are orthogonal).
Regarding claim 8, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the difference
- between the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has a vertical polarized light),
- and the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the laser scanner (Brown, Para [0062]-[0063], Fig 4, where the LIDAR transmitter 408 has a horizontal polarized light and is orthogonal to the communication emitter's vertical polarized light), and
- the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the second data transmission interface (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices and has an orientation),
- relative to one another is a relative angle of approx. 120 degrees in each case (Brown, Para [0062], The communication emitter 402 and Lidar emitter 408 has one of a combination of orthogonal polarizations. With Zavesky's second communication interface 416, the orientation can be rearranged to 120 degrees) (See MPEP 2144.05.I)
Regarding claim 9, Brown in view of Zavesky teaches, the vehicle designed to communicate with a stationary traffic monitoring system according to claim 1 (Brown, Para [0091], Fig 6, where vehicle 602 generates the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles).
Regarding claim 10, Brown teaches the method for a system unit, designed as a stationary traffic monitoring system and/or as a motor vehicle (motor vehicle, truck), for monitoring a detection region of a traffic area and/or designed for communication, the system unit having at least the following features:
a) a first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) for receiving and/or transmitting first vehicle- relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data (Brown, Para [0091]-[0099], Fig 6, where Para [0091] discloses the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles) via a first wireless transmission medium (Brown, Para [0047]-[0048], Fig 1A, where the present system includes a plurality of nodes structured as both communications/LIDAR TX and receiver (RX) capable of wireless communication), the first wireless transmission medium being designed as an optical interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where the communications lidar system 122 includes optics including optics/lenses in TX and RX subsystem 124), and
b) a laser scanner which is aligned with the detection region (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar and is received by receiver (RX)) and is designed to provide a laser measurement value which comprises information about a vehicle located in the detection region (Brown, Para [0093], Fig 6, where the LIDAR information includes other vehicle information which when combined with other systems include spatial information), and/or
c) a for receiving and/or transmitting second vehicle- relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data (Brown, Para [0091]-[0099], Fig 6, where Para [0091] discloses the mapping of traffic objects and other vehicles, and object and collision detection can be relayed to other vehicles) via a second wireless transmission medium (Brown, Para [0047]-[0048], Fig 1A, where the present system includes a plurality of nodes structured as both communications/LIDAR TX and receiver (RX) capable of wireless communication), the second wireless transmission medium being designed as an optical interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where the communications lidar system 122 includes optics including optics/lenses in TX and RX subsystem 124), wherein
d) the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) is operated with a polarized transmitted light beam (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has vertically polarized light), and
e) the laser scanner (Brown, Para [0059], Fig 1a, where transmitter (TX) 104 emits both communications and Lidar, and sending communications makes it a transmission interface) is operated with a polarized transmitted light beam (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the LIDAR transmitter 408 has vertically polarized light), and/or
f) is operated with a polarized transmitted light beam (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has one of a combination of orthogonal polarizations),
g) wherein
- the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the first data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has vertically polarized light)
- is different from the polarization plane of the polarized transmitted light beam of the laser scanner (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the LIDAR transmitter 408 has vertically polarized light) and/or the polarized transmitted light beam of the second data transmission interface (Brown, Para [0062], Fig 4, where the communications emitter 402 has one of a combination of orthogonal polarizations).
However, Brown does not teach a second data transmission interface for receiving and/or transmitting second vehicle- relevant and/or traffic management-relevant data via a second wireless transmission medium, the second wireless transmission medium being designed as an optical interface,
the second data transmission interface is operated with a polarized transmitted light beam.
On the other hand, Zavesky teaches a second interface that can communicate with other wireless devices (Zavesky, Para [0055]-[0061], Fig 4, where the second communication interface 416 can directly communicate with a vehicle 102a or other devices)
Accordingly, it would have been obvious of one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the stationary traffic monitoring system of Brown in view of Zavesky, by including a second communication interface for managing traffic (Zavesky, Para [0016])
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKI HAWKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-6595. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, YUQING XIAO can be reached at (571) 270-3603. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273 8300.
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/ZAKI KEHINDE HAWKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/YUQING XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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